Washington State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- I broadly support abortion rights for all women including those who require public assistance. I further support ready access to birth control including free birth control for those unable to afford their own.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- No

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- We need to keep our promises to state employees, bargain with their unions in good faith, and pay promised benefits. I am however comfortable with negotiating different benefit packages including moving away from defined benefit retirement for new hires. I support an income tax and a repeal of the state sales tax.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- Washington votes by mail so photo IDs for voting are pointless.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Yes

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- c) There is room for discussion about the age at which a person becomes responsible for their actions and there is room for discussion about changing sentencing limits for minors. d) Everyone is responsible for upholding the law, not least law enforcement officers. But there are priorities that are used by law enforcement agencies and officers every day. Immigration violations should generally be a very low priority.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- No

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Washington?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- b) Most of the states with the high per capita GDP also have high per capita taxes. Taxes fuel government and build the communities where people want to live and work.c) Regulations exist for reasons. Regulations should always be subject to review in the light of new information but should only be changed or reduced in pursuit of public benefit.f) Minimum wage is a tough issue. Raising minimum wage eventually leads to higher prices and reduced competitiveness with cheaper foreign labor. But we must ensure that gainfully employed Washingtonians are duly compensated.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Washington?
- No

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Washington high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

4. Do you support increasing funding for the state education budget?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- a) I support adopting meaningful education standards appropriate to the 21st century. c) One supposes that these immigrants may go on to work in the US and may eventually become lawful immigrants. Do we want an educated workforce or an uneducated workforce?d) Washington's Constitution names education as the state's top priority. That shouldn't just be words.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- a) Yes, but limited to R&D at state universities and guaranteed loans for carefully vetted start-ups.c) State support for water resources must go beyond clean drinking water. Declining instream flows have seriously damaged salmon habitat and willy-nilly drilling compromises senior water rights in some areas.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- a) I am an NRA Life Member of 30 years standing and strongly support common sense gun control measures.c) Arming teachers is a dumb idea regardless of which side of the gun rights debate you are on. Thousands of guns in classrooms, tens of thousands of kids; it is only a matter of time before there are tragedies.d) Licenses should be required for autoloaders (semiautomatics) of all sorts and for magazines (clips). I do not generally support licensing for bolt action rifles, pump shotguns, or revolvers.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Washington's health care programs?
- Yes

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- Yes

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- I support universal healthcare similar to those systems that are universal among our OECD peers.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Washington's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Washington's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

3. Do you support greater efforts by Washington state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- Communities work best when they have a welcoming and valued place for all of their members.

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- Replacing regressive taxes with an income tax. Increasing education funding and extending free public education through a bachelors degree. Freeing county governments to pursue broader funding opportunities. Expanding UGAs are cannibalizing county revenues at a time of increasing demand for county services. Communities organize themselves to confront common problems and pursue common goals through government. We pay for this with taxes. Taxes should be as progressive as possible. The first duty of legislators is to see that taxes levied are spent with care.